1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to physical therapy devices, and more particularly pertains to a medical gin pole for enabling patients to perform physical therapy at home. Many individuals recovering from strokes, accidents, and other debilitating physical conditions require physical therapy to maintain and improve muscular and neural conditions. Additionally, protracted inactivity results in the atrophy of various muscle groups and the calcification of joints such as shoulders, elbows and knees. In order to overcome these problems, the present invention provides an inexpensive, convenient and easily portable physical therapy device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of physical therapy devices are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a physical therapy device is to be found in E. Phillips U.S. Pat. No. 1,856,785, issued on May 3, 1932. This patent discloses an invalid bed construction which incorporates a plurality of pivotal arms for manipulating patient supporting slings. G. Grahn U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,410, issued on July 16, 1968, discloses a patient stretcher including a patient lifting mechanism. W. Reyer U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,479, issued on Jan. 18, 1977, discloses a hoist and transporting apparatus for lifting and moving disabled persons from a bed to a chair. The device has a frame structure including an overhead support deck and a rotatably mounted boom carrier. M. Boerigter U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,707, issued on Mar. 8, 1983, discloses an invalid bed including a frame and an overhead support structure which provides an elevated diagonally extending support surface for a pivot arm. C. Jump U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,587, issued on May 8, 1984, discloses a patient positioning device for a bed including a horizontal support beam, a pair of motors coupled to the support beam, and cable and hook assemblies associated with the motors for selectively lifting portions of a patient's body from a bed.
While the above mentioned devices are directed to physical therapy and invalid lifting devices, none of these prior patents disclose a medical gin pole which is collapsible for convenient transportation to enable patients to perform physical therapy in a home environment. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of physical therapy devices, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such physical therapy devices, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.